Wrap Up On The Tesla Solar Roof
Carbon-conscious homeowners interested in lowering their home energy bill with renewable energy may choose a Tesla Solar Roof as a main part of their sustainable lifestyle. Along with increasing the property value of their home, a Solar Roof enhances its curbside appeal.
Theres much to learn about Teslas Solar Roof, a relative newcomer to the field of building integrated photovoltaics .
Based on the information here, if you decide youre a perfect candidate for a Tesla Solar Roof to complement your Tesla Model S in the driveway and a Tesla Powerwall to store excess solar energy from your Solar Roof to recharge it, youll be cruising into a truly sustainable lifestyle.
Tesla Powerwall Review Cost And Specs
After cutting teeth on the development of electric cars, Tesla jumped onto the commercial and home battery storage bandwagon. The company took the energy storage industry by storm when it announced its first-generation home battery productthe Tesla Powerwall battery system in 2015.
The DC-coupled storage battery was the first high-voltage home storage system with a smaller capacity of 6.5kWh. In 2016, the second-generation Tesla Powerwall 2.0 was unveiled, delivering up to twice the energy intensity , more than double the storage capacity, and a built-in battery charger/inverter that ensures more flexibility and power compared to the first module. This innovation marked a great milestone in CEO Elon Musks vision of sustainable energy for the future.
In this Tesla powerwall review, we will focus on the latest updates, facts, costs, Tesla powerwall specs and benefits of investing in the second generation storage battery.
Tesla Solar Roof Controversy: Whats Next For The Solar Roof In 2021
The Tesla Solar Roof project has faced delays, lawsuits, and criticism since announced in 2016. As of 2021, however, many of those issues have started to smooth out, and Teslas Solar Roof could face a brighter future.
Elon Musk announced the Solar Roof all the way back in 2016, when the company was in the process of acquiring SolarCity. Musk was the chairman and largest shareholder for SolarCity, and his cousins effectively ran the company. Some criticized the deal for being rife with conflicts. Despite the criticism, the SolarCity board agreed to a $2 billion buyout from Elon Musk.
Since 2016, Musk has fired executives and involved himself personally with the project. According to Bloombergs Dana Hull, Musk sees the Power Roof as essential to his vision of becoming more than just a car company.
Today, Tesla continues to install Solar Roofs across the United States. However, the company has faced criticisms for its slow rollout.
In 2019, Musk claimed Tesla would launch a new Solar Roof that would be cheaper, faster, and easier to install. He wanted Tesla to install 1,000 Solar Roofs per week, with sales continuing to grow like kelp on steroids over the coming months and years.
Two years later, Tesla is purportedly struggling to hit 200 installations a week. Tesla has also faced criticism for hiking the price of the Solar Roof after customers are already under contract.
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What Is The Payback Period For A Tesla Solar Roof
There is disagreement about what the payback period is for a Tesla Solar Roof. It will vary based on the electricity rates and roofing prices in your area.
There is no specific information or sample calculations on the Tesla site about how long it will take to recuperate your initial investment. There appears only this general statement under the heading Pay Less for Electricity: Solar Roof is the only roof that can help pay for itself with the energy you produce.
Sample calculations from 2019 and 2021 on reputable solar review sites showed that it could take 13 or 19 years before your solar roof would begin paying for itself.
The Tesla Solar Roof: Pros And Cons Of Installing Solar Roof Tiles
Teslas Solar Roof tiles have been creating plenty of buzz in the world of solar power, and some people want to know more about these tiles and if Namasté Solar installs them. Namasté Solar does not currently install Solar Roof tiles, but we can help you cut through some of the media hype to decide whether solar roof tiles are a good option for you. In this post well look at the pros and cons of the Tesla Solar Roof for your residential solar energy system.
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Tesla Solar Roof Estimate
Rather than directly publishing rates, Tesla provides a Solar Roof calculator on their website that estimates the cost of installing a solar roof on your home. The calculator is based on your current electricity usage and the size of your home, among other factors. We ran three basic estimates to give you an idea of the price differences. Each estimate includes a roof replacement, but does not factor in any incentives.
FYI: All estimates were run on July 13, 2021.
| Size |
|---|
Tesla changes their prices depending on a number of factors, including those listed below.
Why Should A Home Go Solar
Given the extensive costs and considerations pertaining to Tesla solar, is solar energy even worth it for your home? The upfront costs of these systems are a serious hurdle for many homeowners, but if you have the capital available, there are numerous reasons to consider going solar:
- With the climate crisis worsening, installing solar on your home is a direct way for you to reduce your home’s carbon footprint and potentially even start a trend of neighbors adopting clean energy after seeing you do so.
- Monthly power bills can be high and volatile, so the more energy you can generate self-sufficiently for your home, the less you’ll pay in utility bills.
- In many areas, the owners of a solar system can sell their excess energy back to the utility company, which can give you a greater return on your solar system investment.
- Rooftop solar combined with energy storage is a great way to reduce how likely your home is to be impacted by power outages.
- Installing solar panels ups the market value of your home, and with a sleek Tesla solar system, they can also make a home more aesthetically appealing.
While the high costs to install may be frustrating, it’s important that potential customers research or talk to experts about available tax incentives that come from federal, state and local governments. These incentives come as credits, rebates, low-interest loans and other tools to help make solar power accessible to more homes.
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Who Should Buy A Solar Roof
The initial appeal of the Tesla Solar Roof will target the wealthy, tech-savvy homeowner with a passion for renewable energy. Due to the solar roof cost, the purchaser of a solar roof will have a deep passion for aesthetics.
There is certainly a risk-reward aspect of being one of the first owners of a Tesla Solar Roof. The reward is obviously being able to be one of the first owners of this beautiful technology. The risk is the same. Being the owner of the first version of anything comes with the risk of having to be patient while kinks are worked out.
If you want to be an owner of the Tesla Solar Roof you will need a large amount of expendable cash and an even larger amount of patience as it could take years for the solar roofs to get installed.
Is It Right For Your Home
- The Powerwall is easily one of the most expensive batteries on the market and, with such a high capacity, it’s possible that a smaller battery may be sufficient for your energy needs. For most households, 5-10kWh of storage is ample for evening/overnight use.
- Despite the high capacity, the Powerwall will not enable you to break free from the National Grid yet. You’ll still need to top up your energy through your energy supplier but that is true of any solar storage system at the moment.
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Additional Costs And Upgrades
Depending on the current infrastructure present in your home, Tesla mentions that it may be necessary to perform additional upgrades during installation. This includes services such as extra electrical work or installation of a Solar Roof on a shed or deck. Prices are quoted directly to you upon inspection, but it is important to note that they are not included in the Solar Roof calculator estimate.
What Makes Tesla Solar Panels Different
One striking difference between Teslas solar panels and other solar products is how they look on the roof. Images of Teslas solar panels portray a product with a sleek all-black finish, consistent with Teslas reputation for impressive design. However, Tesla isnt the only company that offers an all-black solar panel premium panel manufacturers LG and SunPower have been producing black panels for years, as has Teslas new manufacturing partner, Panasonic.
What is more distinct is the design of the system as a whole. The Tesla website states, Our solar panels blend into your roof with integrated front skirts and no visible mounting hardware. SolarCity acquired Zep Solar, a company that manufactures low-profile solar panel mounts, back in 2013. The Tesla solar panel system likely includes or in the future will include a version of Zeps previous mounting design.The system also includes skirts that create a beveled edge wrapping around the solar panel installation, which makes the system appear visually more integrated into the roof. While neither the skirt nor the low-profile mounting panels are Tesla-exclusive innovations, its clear that Tesla has dedicated significant resources to creating an aesthetically pleasing panel installation.
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Pros Of Tesla Roof Tiles
Design: The most noticeable difference between solar panels and the Solar Roof is design. Tesla offers four different styles to choose from textured, smooth, Tuscan, or slate styled solar roof tiles. The tiles mimic the look of a traditional roof so your neighbors wont even know you have solar on your house . If you want to maintain the aesthetics of your rooftop, the Solar Roof tiles are a great option for adding solar energy to your home.
Warranty and durability: Tesla roof tiles are made with tempered glass that is more durable than standard roofing tiles. Tesla stands behind the durability of their product with an infinite warranty . We dont know the full details of their warranty, but thats quite a bold offer.
How Much Does A Tesla Solar Roof Cost
You can expect to spend anywhere from $35,000 to upwards of $70,000 for the installation of a Tesla solar roof. What goes into this cost is a little bit complicated. Many factors can influence what the total price will be, and honestly the pricing on Teslas website is incredibly vague. With that said, lets get into it.
To cover the costs of a $150 monthly electric bill with a 2,000 square foot roof in California, Tesla recommends a 6.14 kilowatt solar roof with one Powerwall battery. According to their website, this Tesla solar roof system would cost between $48,200 and $63,070.
For the same home to cover a $150 bill in New Jersey, Tesla recommends a 10.26 kW solar roof with one Powerall battery, which will cost roughly between $55,600 and $70,470 to install.
These prices vary widely for a few reasons, one being system size. The more solar shingles needed to offset your electric bill, the more expensive the system will be. What size system you need is directly impacted by how much sunlight your home receives, which is why the home in sunny California can install a smaller system than the home in not-so-sunny New Jersey.
Another major reason why theres such a wide range in pricing is because Tesla charges different prices depending on the complexity of your roof. The more complex a roof is, the more labor and materials are needed to replace it, thus leading to a higher price.
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Tesla Solar Roof: What Changed
In April 2021, Tesla made a number of changes to its solar offerings.
- It is no longer possible to purchase the Solar Roof or the retrofit roof panels without also purchasing the Powerwall battery. Musk claims this will simplify installations.
- The Powerwall 2 will unlock more peak power capability through a software update in May 2021. Newer batteries produced since around November 2020 offer more power than advertised. Energy remains the same, but peak power and steady-state power are around double in these newer units.
- The Solar Roof is now more expensive.
Electrek obtained an email that went out to Solar Roof buyers. It included a line that explains âwe have increased the price of Solar Roof and have added adjustments for individual roof complexity.â
On the firmâs new Roof Complexity web page, it explains:
Your roofâs complexity will determine your Solar Roof installationâs level of difficulty, which is factored into your final purchase price. Roofs fall into three tiers of complexity â simple, intermediate and complex. Roof complexity is determined by the number and severity of roof obstructions such as the pitch, number of joints, chimneys and other features on your roof that add to the difficulty of the installation.
Scenario : Youre Interested In Going Solar And Also Need To Replace Your Roof
While this is a less common scenario, it may fit you if your current roof is coming up on the end of its useful life. This scenario may also fit you if youre in the process of building a new home from scratch, and havent picked out your roofing material yet. In this scenario, unlike the first one, you are on the market and actively shopping for both a new roof and a solar panel installation.
If this description fits you better, Teslas Solar Roof may make more financial sense. In this case, you have the option of either replacing your roof first and then installing traditional solar panels, or combining both actions with the installation of a Tesla Solar Roof.
In our example, lets assume a $5 per square foot cost for an asphalt shingle roof replacement for your home in California. Based on these criteria, lets see how your new solar panel and roof replacement will compare to a new Tesla Solar Roof, based on varying roof size:
| Roof size | |
|---|---|
| $53,000 | 48% |
So, in this case, the cost of new solar panels and the cost of a roof replacement and a new Tesla Solar Roof are most comparable if your roof is only 1,500 square feet. However, as explained above, its important to note that your ROI will likely still be lower because the efficiency of the Tesla Solar Roof is probably lower than that of solar panels and your system size is smaller meaning your electricity bill wont go down as much as it could.
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Should You Invest In A Tesla Solar Roof
Whether you should invest or not in a Tesla Solar Roof depends on many factors. Ultimately, the decision rests with you, the consumer.
You are an ideal candidate for a Tesla Solar Roof if you:
- Need a new roof
Source: www.dsireusa.org
If one or more of the previous conditions doesnt apply to you, rooftop solar instead of a solar roof may be a more economical way to meet all your energy needs sustainably. Compare prices using online calculators and seek out professional estimates from certified solar installers before making the financial commitment. Visiting Understand Solar is a great first step in the process.
Doing your research beforehand will ensure no regrets later.
Tesla Solar Roof Is Becoming A Legitimate Bargain Against High
Tesla took a while before it was able to start a serious ramp of its Solar Roof tiles, but it appears that the wait will be worth it. As the electric car maker continues to expand its Solar Roof installations in the United States, it is starting to become evident that the aesthetically-pleasing solar shingles are a bargain in its class. At its current prices, Teslas Solar Roof presents savings compared to high-end roof options plus a traditional solar system.
The Tesla Solar Roof is actually one of the least expensive in its class of building-integrated PV options. While its true that the Solar Roofs competitors are fewer than, say, the Model 3s rivals in the EV segment, the flagship shingles do have some competition. These include DeSols Power Tiles, as well as the Luma Solar Tiles, both of whom adopt the same concept as the Tesla Solar Roof. The Solar Roof undercuts both competitors in price.
The Tesla Solar Roof is estimated to cost about $2.11 per installed watt, as noted by Green Building Advisor. This is far more affordable than the price of the DeSol Power Tiles, which stand at about $7 per installed watt. Even the Luma Solar Tiles, which are closer in appearance to Teslas Solar Roof V3, command a price of about $4.50 per installed watt. But this is not all, as the Solar Roof could be a reasonable alternative to a setup that involves traditional roofing materials and conventional solar panels as well.
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Tesla Powerwall Battery Cells
The Tesla Powerwall product uses the same battery cells as the Tesla cars.
This is good news. Think about it. A Tesla electric vehicle can function in very cold weather , as well as in a very hot environment .
Each battery cell has its own temperature management system that keeps the battery at an optimum working temperature.
The Tesla Powerwall 2 can therefore be mounted either internally in your home or on an external wall exposed to the elements.
Not all battery products currently available in the UK can function properly below freezing. So, if you have limited suitable wall space inside your home for battery storage, the Powerwall is a great choice for external mounting.
